Lauren wanted to thank everyone who cme out to her volleyballmatch against St. Francis. Olivet won the match and the conference regular season championship! It was a lot of fun.
Lauren had three former coaches there cheering her on. Each has impacted her as a player and person, all in different ways. This morning I got to thinking: What "coaches" have impacted me? (I am talking not about athletic coaches necessarily, but about those individuals who ave trained us and taught us) And which of the these "coaches" is in the stands as we are living our lives cheering us on?
Paul called these "coaches" witnesses. (Hebrews 12:1) One of my coaches was my father, who first demonstrated a pastor's life and later answered my questions as I lived a pastor's life. Who are some of the coaches in your life, who, after teaching you, still sits in the crowd cheering you on?
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Pressure and Expectations
I was at a conference at Willow Creek two weeks ago and overheard an interesting comment. A pastor from Florida was beginning to lead a worship session (he already spoke the previous day) and was making some comments to get us focused. A person sitting behind me was laughing at what the leader had said and remarked, "I'd go to this guy's church. He is so funny."
The comment wouldn't have hit me so hard had it not come from a church leader. It really made me think about expectation people have for church leaders and what church leaders (pastors and preachers included) have to do and be in order for people to come to church. Do I have to be funny so that I make people laugh? Do I have to have a commanding presence to get people's attention? Do I have to be able to write books and preach spell-binding messages to gain the attention of people?
Long ago I dealt with the fact that I cannot meet everyone's expectations as a pastor. I will fail or fall short or slip up along the way. But these expectations are far beyond what the Biblical Expectations for leaders are in I Timothy 3 and Acts 20 (I will let you read it). Is it not enough for church leaders and pastors to have strong faith, know the scriptures, watch over our families and shepherd (protect and feed) the flock given to us? We also have to be funny and articulate and engaging with outgoing type A personalities, and caring and knowledgable in all leadership issues and have all the answers for church life and be able to leap tall buildings in a single leap.
O.K., I overreacted to a single comment one person made. But is does make us think about what we expect from our leaders. Wht do you think?
The comment wouldn't have hit me so hard had it not come from a church leader. It really made me think about expectation people have for church leaders and what church leaders (pastors and preachers included) have to do and be in order for people to come to church. Do I have to be funny so that I make people laugh? Do I have to have a commanding presence to get people's attention? Do I have to be able to write books and preach spell-binding messages to gain the attention of people?
Long ago I dealt with the fact that I cannot meet everyone's expectations as a pastor. I will fail or fall short or slip up along the way. But these expectations are far beyond what the Biblical Expectations for leaders are in I Timothy 3 and Acts 20 (I will let you read it). Is it not enough for church leaders and pastors to have strong faith, know the scriptures, watch over our families and shepherd (protect and feed) the flock given to us? We also have to be funny and articulate and engaging with outgoing type A personalities, and caring and knowledgable in all leadership issues and have all the answers for church life and be able to leap tall buildings in a single leap.
O.K., I overreacted to a single comment one person made. But is does make us think about what we expect from our leaders. Wht do you think?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday in Review
Well, it's Monday morning, the day most pastors play arm-chair preacher and spend the day evaluating, dissecting and finding fault with many things about Sunday. Not me. I am basking in the glow of a day spent in ministry with my church family. Oh, I could sit back and point out everything that didn't go perfectly during the service or focus on the things I said to someone that should have been said differently or be upset because I didn't talk to someone I needed to or missed a ministry need or even pick apart my sermon to the point of feeling that I really blew an opportunity for God's Kingdom. BUT I WON'T!
Instead, I choose to bask in the glow of a Sunday gathering of God's people worshipping God and loving one another. I love listening to people talking before service as they gather for worship. I love watching people talk afterwards, lingering to catch up and encourage one another. I enjoy watching the diaconate pray for people durng times of ministry and my heart so appreciates the hearts of those involved in leading worship. I am so thankful for those servants behind the scene who greet worshippers, take the offering, are in the nursery and work the technology during worship. And those who teach during Sunday School deserve honor for continually seeking to disciple children, youth and adults.
I enjoyed meeting with Youth Leaders (they are amazing) and those who came to Pizza With the Pastor (yes there was food at both) and visiting with those who I was able to see. I could sense God's presence in each place and enjoyed each person who was there.
Did everything run perfectly on Sunday. I really don't know and I am sure if I thought about it I could come up with pages of things that could be different or better. There may be a time for that. But for me, it seemed like a perfect day.
Hebrews 10:19-25
Instead, I choose to bask in the glow of a Sunday gathering of God's people worshipping God and loving one another. I love listening to people talking before service as they gather for worship. I love watching people talk afterwards, lingering to catch up and encourage one another. I enjoy watching the diaconate pray for people durng times of ministry and my heart so appreciates the hearts of those involved in leading worship. I am so thankful for those servants behind the scene who greet worshippers, take the offering, are in the nursery and work the technology during worship. And those who teach during Sunday School deserve honor for continually seeking to disciple children, youth and adults.
I enjoyed meeting with Youth Leaders (they are amazing) and those who came to Pizza With the Pastor (yes there was food at both) and visiting with those who I was able to see. I could sense God's presence in each place and enjoyed each person who was there.
Did everything run perfectly on Sunday. I really don't know and I am sure if I thought about it I could come up with pages of things that could be different or better. There may be a time for that. But for me, it seemed like a perfect day.
Hebrews 10:19-25
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Grace
I am currently using David Nasser's book, "A Call to Die," as a guide to my devotional times each day. Today's focus was on grace and Nasser wrote,
"Some of us think God shakes his head and grimaces when he dispenses grace to us. We think he is reluctant to be kind to us, but that is not true at all. God delights in showing his goodness and forgiveness to us."
Think about it. We often approach the throne of God in fear because we know we have sinned and fall very short of the life God desires of us. We approach God and we see him scolding us and only forgiving us because we are grovelling at His feet. But we also see him holding back his love for us just a little, because we think he wants to have us prove our forgiveness.
But that is not the nature of God. That is not the nature of God's grace.
He looks at the ugliness of our sin, and forgives. Yes our sins deserve condemnation. Yes, Our sins deserve God's wrath. But that's what makes God's grace more than just a "I'll let it go this time," kind of thing. He forgives, picks us up, and sends us back out to try and live our lives the way God desires. Not out of fear, but out of thankfulness for what God has done.
I hope your day is filled with God's grace pouring into your life, allowing you to live a life of thankfulness.
Psalm 116:1,2 - "I love the Lord for he heard my voice, he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me I will call upon him as long as I live."
"Some of us think God shakes his head and grimaces when he dispenses grace to us. We think he is reluctant to be kind to us, but that is not true at all. God delights in showing his goodness and forgiveness to us."
Think about it. We often approach the throne of God in fear because we know we have sinned and fall very short of the life God desires of us. We approach God and we see him scolding us and only forgiving us because we are grovelling at His feet. But we also see him holding back his love for us just a little, because we think he wants to have us prove our forgiveness.
But that is not the nature of God. That is not the nature of God's grace.
He looks at the ugliness of our sin, and forgives. Yes our sins deserve condemnation. Yes, Our sins deserve God's wrath. But that's what makes God's grace more than just a "I'll let it go this time," kind of thing. He forgives, picks us up, and sends us back out to try and live our lives the way God desires. Not out of fear, but out of thankfulness for what God has done.
I hope your day is filled with God's grace pouring into your life, allowing you to live a life of thankfulness.
Psalm 116:1,2 - "I love the Lord for he heard my voice, he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me I will call upon him as long as I live."
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